Panama Canal eases restrictions as rainfall outlook improves
- Panama Canal raises neo-panamax draft limit to 49 ft and increases total daily transit capacity to 33 vessels
- Improvement follows near-average rainfall and water-saving measures, reversing some restrictions imposed earlier this month
- Canal authority warns water deficit persists and deeper cuts could still be required if El Niño conditions worsen later this year
Weeks after warning of potentially deeper cuts to vessel traffic, the Panama Canal has increased daily transit capacity and restored a 49 ft draft limit as reservoir conditions stabilise, offering temporary relief to global shipping markets
